Israel is pushing again in opposition to critics — and even supporters like U.S. President Biden — who say it’s indiscriminately bombing targets contained in the Gaza Strip whereas aiming to destroy Hamas.
Brig. Gen. Omer Tischler, the Israeli air pressure chief of employees, mentioned it has mounted a “precise, focused and process-based” air marketing campaign since Hamas launched its Oct. 7 rampage into southern Israel that killed at the least 1,200 folks and resulted in a whole lot of others taken hostage.
On Wednesday, Gen. Tischler mentioned Israel’s jet fighters hit targets based mostly on laborious intelligence and choose the optimum ordnance to minimize the possibility that harmless bystanders get hit.
“This allows us to accurately strike Hamas even though it operates within civilian areas,” he mentioned in a press release. “During the strike, we are monitoring the target area. If it does not comply with our standard operating procedures, we will abort.”
Israeli pilots typically use small, precision-guided missiles to hit targets close to delicate areas scattered all through Gaza, akin to rocket launcher positions, command and management facilities and tunnel shafts, Gen. Tischler mentioned.
Much of the criticism leveled in opposition to the Israel Defense Forces in Gaza is over their use of dumb bombs in opposition to targets within the built-up Palestinian enclave. Even Mr. Biden has mentioned the IDF’s use of such weapons might end in Israel shedding assist within the worldwide neighborhood.
“The term dumb bombs describes munitions that are not guided-based. These are standard munitions that are regularly used by militaries worldwide,” Gen. Tischler mentioned. “The claim that such munitions are indiscriminate or cause uncontrollable damage is misleading.”
The munitions nonetheless hit the goal even when they aren’t directed by a GPS system. “It is released in a specific release point calculated by the aircraft’s system to allow the pilot to strike a target accurately,” Gen. Tischler mentioned.
The air pressure chief additionally addressed the craters left behind in Gaza after airstrikes. He mentioned IDF heavy munitions are detonated underground, which prevents fragmentation and reduces the blastwave and particles.
“The resulting crater visible in satellite images indicates that the underground detonation has actually occurred on a military target and directly minimized damage to the surrounding areas,” Gen. Tischler mentioned.
He acknowledged that errors can occur on a battlefield and mentioned the IDF all the time research tragic occasions in order that they gained’t be repeated.
“The Israeli air force, together with the ground forces, will continue to conduct a precise, focused and professional campaign in accordance with international law,” Gen. Tischler mentioned.
